BOONE, N.C. — App State student-athletes Linnea Maynard (women's cross country/track & field) and Layla Meric (women's golf) have been selected for the Blue Cross and Blue Shield of North Carolina's (Blue Cross NC) Finish Line Scholarship.
The scholarships will be awarded at the App State women's basketball game against Georgia State on Feb. 17.
The recipients of the Finish Line Scholarship, which was established to assist women as they complete their final years of competition as student-athletes and receive their degrees, are nominated by their athletic program for exemplifying values of leadership, integrity and community.
Additionally, Blue Cross NC is awarding each scholarship recipients' high school alma mater with funding to further support women and girls in sports across North Carolina.
"Women athletes are leaders in their communities both on and off the field," said Tammy Jones, VP of Brand and Demand Generation at Blue Cross NC. "Working with App State, Blue Cross NC is committed to supporting the next generation of North Carolina leaders."
"We appreciate what Blue Cross NC does to support App State Athletics and our women student-athletes," Director of Athletics Doug Gillin said. "Linnea and Layla are among App State's many hard-working student-athletes who excel academically and athletically. They are leaders and role models for the next generation of successful women in sports."
Maynard, who arrived in Boone in the fall of 2021, is an environmental science major at App State and a standout competitor on the cross country and track & field teams. She is the Randy Marion Track & Field facility record holder for the women's 5,000 meters after clocking a time of 18:51.68 at the facility's grand opening last season.
The Charlotte, N.C., native garnered third-team All-SBC honors at the 2022 Sun Belt Cross Country Championships after posting a 5K personal best of 17:43.5 to place 15th overall and help the Mountaineers to a fifth-place team finish. She is ranked seventh in App State's cross country times by-class list for her freshman 5K time of 18:09.71.
During the 2023 outdoor track season, Maynard posted a 10th-place finish in the women's 10,000 meters at the Sun Belt Outdoor Track & Field Championships.
Meric, who also enrolled at App State in the fall of 2021, is a management major who has excelled as a member of the Mountaineers' women's golf team. She wrapped up the 2023 fall season with a 10th-place finish at the Terrier Intercollegiate and had the second-best scoring average on App State's team as a sophomore during the 2022-23 calendar.
A native of Charlotte, N.C., she had two rounds of 71 last season, including a 1-under par effort in the final round at the Mimosa Hills Intercollegiate. She enters the 2024 spring season with four top-15 finishes in her career.